Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1535569
5 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 21 MAY 2025 NEWS JAMES DEBONO jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt Hagar Qim 2,694 Ghar Dalam 1,855 Fort Saint Angelo 1,722 Natural History Museum 1,689 Malta Maritime Museum 1,675 By school visits Grand Master Palace 2,899 Malta Maritime Museum 2,805 Hagar Qim 2,300 Gantija 2,251 Ghar Dalam 1,948 By student passport scheme Ggantija 212,519 Grand Master Palace 186,481 Hagar Qim 180,782 Fort St Elmo 162,451 Mnajdra 128,172 By admission Grand Master Palace 3,730 Malta Maritime Museum 2,077 Ggantija 1,007 Inquisitor Palace 941 Domus Romana 896 By senior passport scheme THE Grand Master's Palace in Valletta, followed closely by the Malta Maritime Museum in Bir- gu, topped the list of Heritage Malta sites most visited by young people using the Students' Pass- port scheme, which offers free en- try along with admission for two accompanying adults. In 2024, a total of 32,963 stu- dents and accompanying adults were granted free access to all heritage sites in Malta and Gozo. These included 2,899 who visited the Grand Master's Palace, 2,805 who visited the Malta Maritime Museum, and 2,300 who visited Ħaġar Qim. Two other popular sites were Ġgantija (2,251) and Għar Dalam (1,948). This marks a shift from 2022, when the National Museum of Natural History in Mdina was the most popular site, attracting 2,360 visits. The museum has now slipped to sixth place, with 1,946 visits, just behind Għar Dalam. However, at that time, the Grand Master's Palace was still undergo- ing extensive renovations before reopening in 2024. The overhauled Grand Mas- ter's Palace now showcases the historic Armoury in the former Parliament Chamber, featuring the suits of armour of Grand Mas- ters Alof de Wignacourt and Jean de Valette, Ottoman armour and weapons, as well as a selection of artillery pieces. The Malta Maritime Museum was also partially reopened in 2024, following a four-year resto- ration. It now houses an impres- sive, one-of-a-kind temporary ex- hibition entitled: 'An Island at the Crossroads.' An additional 20,259 students visited heritage sites during school outings in 2024. The most visited site during school visits was Ħaġar Qim (2,694 visits), followed by Għar Dalam (1,855) and Fort St Angelo (1,722). Another 17,421 people visited heritage sites using the senior cit- izens' card, which grants free ac- cess to anyone over 60 along with two accompanying youths. The Grand Master's Palace and the Malta Maritime Museum were also the most visited sites among this group. Moreover, the number of those using the senior citizens' card has increased by 140% since 2022. The number of those using the Students' Passport has also in- creased by 18%. Among the paying public, which includes tourists, the most vis- ited sites were Ġgantija in Gozo (212,519 visits), followed by the Grand Master's Palace (186,481) and the Ħaġar Qim Temples (180,782). This information was published in Heritage Malta's annual re- port. More than 32,000 students and their guardians visited heritage sites in 2024 under the Students Passport scheme, with Valletta's restored palace emerging as the most popular destination Grand Master's Palace tops student visits after reopening Left to right: Grand Master's Palace and Hagar Qim (Photo: Heritage Malta)